


Take a Break

by Nebula5030



Series: Merwaine Oneshots [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Gwaine Knows, M/M, Merlin being given more work than he should
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 05:01:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15041291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nebula5030/pseuds/Nebula5030
Summary: Merlin is tasked to writeyet anotherone of Arthur's speeches.  Gwaine makes sure he takes a break when he gets frustrated.





	Take a Break

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Hamilton" because it just fit too well.  
> I hope you enjoy!

Gwaine was on his bed, running the whetstone in his hand rhythmically over his sword to sharpen it. Merlin sat at the table, the tip of his quill incessantly tapping the paper he was currently writing as he thought. Merlin had been tasked to write _yet another_ one of Arthur’s speeches, and had been working on it diligently for over an hour. Arthur often asked Merlin to write his speeches (something about “ _Not enough time to do it myself”),_ and apparently not thinking Merlin was as incompetent as he sometimes implied. Recently, Merlin had taken to doing this in Gwaine’s room: it was in a quieter part of the castle, and there were less interruptions than in Gaius’s room.

Not to mention the added bonus of spending more time with Gwaine.

The two of them had been in a comfortable silence, with Gwaine working on errands around his room as Merlin sat and worked at the table. The usual set up while Merlin wrote.

Gwaine flicked the pad of his thumb over the edge of the sword, judging its sharpness. With a satisfied nod, he stood up and slid the sword into the sheath hanging at his side. A moment later, he walked across the room to Merlin, before leaning on Merlin’s back and examining the paper over Merlin’s shoulder.

“Remind me what this speech is for again?” Gwaine asked as he looked over the handwritten page.

Merlin let out a breath between his lips. “A few nobles from Lothian are coming tomorrow. This is Arthur’s welcome speech, basically assuring them that they are welcome, and that Camelot is an ally. Along with a few tidbits about past accomplishments we’ve done together thrown in.”

Gwaine nodded. He glanced at the time-keeping candle and let out a sigh. He stood, saying, “Well, I should probably get going. Patrol and all.”

Merlin looked at Gwaine with a frown. “How long will you be gone?”

“Shouldn’t be too long: just a couple laps around the outer city, just to make sure everything’s good,” Gwaine responded. “Feel free stay here if you want.”

Merlin let out a vocal breath as he turned back to the speech, slumped shoulders showing his resignation. “Yeah, this is going to take a while.”

Gwaine smirked slightly as he patted Merlin’s shoulder. “I’ll see you later.” He bent down, pecked Merlin lightly on his hair, and then he headed to the door.

“Stay safe!” Merlin called after him.

 

When Gwaine returned to his room a few hours later, Merlin was still bent over the speech, his brow furled in irritation and the palm of a clenched fist to his temple. It looked like he hadn’t moved from the table. Gwaine walked over and looked at the speech once more, and realized that it barely looked longer than it had when he had left.

Gwaine frowned. “Well, that doesn’t look good.”

Merlin slapped the quill down and ran his hands over his face as he leaned back in the chair. He growled, “There’s something wrong with it, but I can’t figure out _what._ ” He shook his head behind his hands, before he sighed and bent forward once more, one hand gripping his hair in frustration and his other reaching for the quill.

Gwaine stopped the reaching hand. “You, Merlin, need to take a break.”

“No, Gwaine, I need to finish this.”

“Nope,” Gwaine said as he grabbed the armrest and swiveled the chair and Merlin towards him. “What you need right now is a break. Now, come on.” He grabbed Merlin’s hand and pulled him to a stand. “We’re going for a walk.”

Merlin looked over Gwaine with a frown, but then it turned to a cheeky smile. “And if I refuse?”

“Then _I_ will be going for a walk, with you draped over my shoulder.”

Merlin scoffed. But then he smirked. _“Prove it.”_

 

Merlin couldn’t be angry. Some part of him felt like he should be, but no matter how he thought about it, he just found his current situation _amusing._

Not to mention it was impressive that Gwaine could actually carry him like this.

Gwaine elected for a simple route around the castle interior, rambling amiably as he went. The two of them got a couple odd looks, but most of the regular castle residents were used to Gwaine’s antics and shrugged it off. For a few minutes it was like this. Merlin supposed he could have asked Gwaine to put him down, but he was admittedly curious at how long Gwaine was going to keep going with this.

Although his stomach was starting to hurt slightly from where Gwaine’s shoulder was digging into it.

Maybe finding out wasn’t such a good idea.

They suddenly heard an incredulous cry: _“_ _Sir_ _Gwaine!_ Just _what_ do you think you are doing?!”

Merlin perked up, and saw Arthur staring at the two of them from the end of the hallway, expression confused and aghast. He started stalking towards the two of them.

Gwaine turned suddenly to face the king, and Merlin flailed slightly, feeling like he was going to lose his balance. “Ah, sire!” Gwaine responded cheerfully. Merlin could _hear_ him grinning. “Merlin here was refusing to take a break from writing your speech. I’m just making sure he did.” Merlin twisted so he could see Arthur, who now stood in front of Gwaine, arms crossed.

“So you kidnapped him?” Arthur replied, face a frown.

“Well, no, I wouldn’t say _kidnapped_ ,” Gwaine responded. “Just… forcibly persuaded.”

Arthur’s eyes narrowed. He looked up at Merlin. “Merlin?”

“I’m fine, Arthur,” Merlin responded. “Honestly, I’m just curious how long he’s going to keep going with this.”

“Well, I’m afraid you’re not going to find out,” Arthur responded coolly. “Gwaine, put Merlin down.”

Gwaine harrumphed. “Alright, fine. Here you go, Merlin.” And he dropped Merlin to the ground.

Arthur looked between the two of them, eyes still narrowed, but then gave a satisfied nod. He turned to Merlin. “And how _is_ my speech coming?”

“Oh, it’s coming alright,” Merlin responded. “You know, it would be coming along a lot better if you wrote it yourself.”

“I told you, Merlin, I don’t have the time.”

“Oh, and I do?”

“ _Yes!_ Goodness knows with all the time you spend in the tavern. It’s a wonder I don’t give you more work as it is!”

Gwaine turned to Merlin, a playfully insulted look on his face. “You go to the tavern and never bother to invite me?”

Merlin gave him an unamused look, but then turned back to Arthur. “It’s almost done. I should have it to you by tonight.”

Arthur nodded. “Alright, carry on then.” He turned to move away, but then snapped back with an accusing finger and accompanying glare at Gwaine and added, “And I do _not_ mean that literally, Sir Gwaine.”

The two of them watched Arthur walk away, before turning to each other, each trying to hide their smile. But then they both burst out laughing. Merlin could tell Arthur rolled his eyes at the two of them based on the way his shoulders slumped and his head tilted.

As soon as Arthur was out of the hallway, Merlin and Gwaine managed to curb their laughter, and Merlin took up their walk once more.

“How often do you go to the tavern?” Gwaine asked, a smirk on his face.

Merlin let out an annoyed huff. “Whenever I was off doing… you know…” he lightly waved his fingers, “… and Arthur asked where I was, Gaius would always say ‘the tavern.’ I’ve tried getting him to say _literally anywhere else_ , but it seems that that’s just Gaius’s first impulse.”

Gwaine barked out a laugh at this. “Well, if you ever want to be where Arthur thinks you are, make sure to invite me along!”

The two of them made another lap of the castle interior, before finding themselves once more in front of Gwaine’s door. Merlin pursed his lips at it, before letting out a sigh and stepping in, Gwaine just behind.

“Think you can finish it now?” Gwaine asked.

“Probably,” Merlin said, turning to him. “Hopefully a fresh look with give me something new.”

Gwaine lightly kissed Merlin before he patted Merlin’s arms and gave him a smile. “Finish that speech. I’ll go get something for us to eat.”

Merlin nodded, before sitting down at the table once more with a huff. Gwaine turned to the door, hearing Merlin grumble something about “Carrying on,” and a couple detrimental sentiments about Arthur as he did so. But then Merlin stopped. Just as Gwaine put his hand on the handle, Merlin suddenly exclaimed, _“That’s it!”_ and began writing furiously.

Gwaine laughed, before giving his head a fond shake as he stepped out into the hallway.

It seemed the break did help, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
